It is well-known that human feet can often emanate noxious odors when footwear, for example, shoes, are removed, especially after being worn for an entire day. This phenomena, it has been found, is even more noticeable with shoes made of a material, such as a synthetic or rubber, that prevents transpiration of foot perspiration during use. After prolonged use, the shoes frequently becomes impregnated with offensive odors and they too become a source of such odors.
Presently, there is no truly effective remedy for the annoyance and inconvenience of foot odors. Indeed, of the products available on the market, none achieve more than slight attenuation of noxious foot odors. In other words, use of conventional products have yielded no significant improvement in odor reduction. The age-old problem of noxious foot odor, therefore, remains, without solution.
Research has shown that the noxious odors emitted by human feet are caused by particular type of fungus, commonly known as Tinea Pedis, that proliferates in anaerobic environments, particularly in the interstices between the third, fourth and fifth toe. That this is the least exposed and aired area of the foot, combined with the normal body temperature conditions (equal to about 37° C.) characteristic of a person's foot, provides a habitat that is optimal for fungal growth. In turn, the fungus readily takes root and resists humidity both from sweating and upon washing of the user's feet.
As sweating of the foot increases or intensifies, so does the degree of humidity and, in turn, proliferation of Tinea Pedis and the noxious odors that result. The intensity of sweating that occurs during footwear use depends not only on the predisposition of the person, but also on the type of shoe being worn. It is conventional wisdom, for example, that sport shoes have a tendency to hinder transpiration. The particularly abundant sweating and, hence, moisture that results, together with the anaerobic environment and body temperature conditions of the foot, it has been found, are particularly favorable for the proliferation of Tinea Pedis. 